Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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903. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has read in full the report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25300/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am well aware of the content of the CEDRA report, which made an important contribution to the development of rural policy in Ireland in recent years.

The CEDRA report identified, as a priority, the need for an integrated approach to rural development. It recommended, as a priority objective, the assignment of responsibility for the coordination of rural development to a Cabinet Minister. This recommendation was delivered through the assignment of responsibility for rural development to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in 2016, and the subsequent establishment in July 2017 of the Department of Rural and Community Development. This Department continues to operate as a stand-alone Government Department, reflecting the current Government's commitment to rural development.

The 2017 Action Plan for Rural Development, which I launched in 2017, built on, and went beyond the CEDRA report. The Action Plan for the first time took a whole-of-Government approach to rural development and included a wide range of commitments for delivery by Government Departments, State agencies, and other bodies to support both the economic and social development of rural Ireland.

Many of the recommendations in the CEDRA report which had not yet been implemented were integrated into the Action Plan for Rural Development. Last year, my Department published a review of the status of the recommendations made in the CEDRA report. It found that many of therecommendations contained in the CEDRA report had either been implemented or had been superseded or replaced by actions set out in the Action Plan for Rural Development. The review of the CEDRA recommendation is available at:

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My Department is currently finalising the next phase of rural development policy for the period 2020-2025. The new policy will be forward-looking and will build on the progress achieved through the Action Plan for Rural Development. The new policy will seek to strengthen and build resilience in our rural communities and economies, including in response to COVID-19, and it will identify policy measures that need to be put in place to achieve that objective. As with the Action Plan it will encompass a whole-of-Government commitment to rural development.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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904. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the implementation measures taken to date in respect of the 34 recommendations contained in the CEDRA report by specific expenditure or action detail in tabular form. [25301/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) was established in November 2012 as an independent expert group to examine and report on the medium-term economic development of rural Ireland. The CEDRA report was published in April 2014.

The Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development which was published in January 2017 built on, and went further than, the CEDRA report in seeking to address not just the economic development of rural areas, but also to support the social and cultural development of rural communities.

Many of the recommendations in the CEDRA report which had not yet been implemented were integrated into the Action Plan for Rural Development.

In 2019, my Department reviewed the status of all of the recommendations in the CEDRA report and found that the vast majority of recommendations had either been implemented where feasible, or were being addressed through the Action Plan for Rural Development or other Government initiatives.

The review, detailing the status of each recommendation, is available on the Gov.ie website at .

The priority recommendation made by CEDRA was the need for a co-ordinated approach to rural development across Government, led by a Cabinet Minister. This recommendation was delivered through the assignment of responsibility for rural development to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in 2016, and the subsequent establishment in July 2017 of the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The Department of Rural and Community Development continues to retain the status of a stand-alone Department under the current Government, emphasising the importance the Government attaches to rural development.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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905. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the overall or full costs associated with undertaking and publishing the CEDRA report. [25302/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) was established in November 2012 as an independent expert group to examine and report on the medium-term economic development of rural Ireland.

The CEDRA report was published in April 2014. Costs associated with undertaking and publishing the CEDRA report amounted to €20,702.